(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an assembly of connectors that are used to adapt optic fiber illuminators of microsurgical instruments for use with a variety of different available light sources.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In microsurgery such as ophthalmic surgery or surgery of the eye, various different types of instruments are available for use by the surgeon to illuminate the interior of the eye. These include a basic microsurgical illuminator that is comprised of a handle with a projecting tubular probe or tip and a length of optic fiber entering the rearward end of the handle and passing through the handle and tip to the tip distal end. By positioning a proximal end of the optic fiber adjacent a light source, the light is transmitted through the fiber to its distal end and is emitted from the distal end. In use of such an instrument in ophthalmic surgery, a small incision is first made in the eye and the probe tip is then inserted through the incision. The light transmitted through the probe by the optic fiber is emitted from the distal end of the probe and is used by the surgeon to illuminate the area of surgery in the interior of the eye.
Various other different types of instruments are available to the surgeon for illuminating the area of surgery in the interior of the eye. Many of these instruments also make use of a length of optic fiber to transmit illumination from a light source to the distal end of the surgical instrument where the light is needed.
There are many different manufacturers of light source apparatus that are used to illuminate optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments. Many manufacturers of microsurgical light sources also manufacture a set of optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments specifically adapted for use with their light source. This creates a situation where many optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments are suited for use with only one particular light source, the connector of the instruments being complementary to a connection of that one particular light source and not suited for use with light sources manufactured by competitors. Manufacturers have also provided adapter connectors that adapt the fiber optic connectors of other manufacturers for use with their light source, and to adapt their fiber optic connectors for use with the light sources of other manufacturers. However, production of these adapters requires their being machined to specific tolerances to match the connection of other manufacturers' light sources and fiber optic instruments. This is an expensive situation for the surgeon and the hospital, where a complete set of optic fiber illuminated surgical instruments must be available for use with each different type of optic fiber light source or adapter used by the surgeon or hospital.
What is needed to overcome this inconvenient and expensive situation is an inexpensive means of using any optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instrument available to the surgeon with any optic fiber illuminating light source available to the surgeon, and preferably to use a multiple of optic fiber instruments that are all simultaneously connectable to the same light source, thereby eliminating the expense of providing a separate light source for each instrument used.